On a more serious note this being Tennessee I’m surprised the pastor felt the need to apologize. After all our governor is one of the ones named in the upcoming Supreme Court case regarding same-sex marriage. It won’t surprise me if the opposition loses and Tennessee follows Alabama in defying federal orders to allow everyone to marry.

Then again it’s possible the only reason the pastor felt the need to apologize is he realized his message could apply to other groups. After all it’s not like the Bible justifies discrimination based on race…oh, wait…

Biblically, the first one to ask for equal rights was arguably Cain, who felt like God was playing favorites, because God actually was totally playing favorites. One lesson of the Cain and Abel story might be: sometimes God will treat you like shit and God expects you to accept that and not kill people because of it.

Another lesson might be: if you play favorites, expect the favorite to be murdered.

Biblically, the first one to ask for equal rights was arguably Cain,[/quote]Satan’s fall was typically, depending on the mythology, before Mankind was created, or during the Garden of Eden timeframe. Either way, before Cain.

Really, though, I’d look at that sign and think it was a pro-Satan message. “You see, Satan was for equal rights, so he’s really not that bad a guy!”

Amos 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

1 Samuel 18:10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand.

1 Kings 14:10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

Is there anywhere in the bible where Satan is given agency to do evil things on his own? Isn’t he at best (worst?) an agent of an absolute God who wants him to do the bad things he does?

Maybe Knoxville is the sort of place where this plan would involve getting shot; but that sign appears to be begging for a “And god was the first asshole to deny them” banner.

It’s not as though ‘send the opposition to a hellish internment camp for eternity for doing exactly what you had to know your design specs would cause them to do’ was really a very proud moment in the history of divine command morality or anything…

[quote=“daneel, post:13, topic:54058, full:true”]Is there anywhere in the bible where Satan is given agency to do evil things on his own? Isn’t he at best (worst?) an agent of an absolute God who wants him to do the bad things he does?
[/quote]Yes, actually. In fact, Satan’s name comes from the use of “Ha-Satan” in the bible, which translates to “the accuser” or “the adversary” - his role is basically that of one who is opposed to God, and so does what he does specifically to interfere with God’s will. Interestingly, this means that if God is creating evil (as stated in Isaiah 45:7), Satan would be inclined to do good acts to counteract that evil.

[quote=“Drew_G, post:17, topic:54058, full:true”]Well, not straight white men; they don’t need to ask, they’re the ones getting the rights everyone else isn’t.[/quote]You mean straight white men who are rich and also part of the current ruling political party - preferably in a policy-dictating position.

That’s part of how America, particularly the South kept/keeps its racism going, I think; make the low-income white people go ‘well, at least I’ know I’m better than those blacks’ and stir up hatred between them and low-income black people, and you you considerably reduce the chances of them finally realizing the real cause of most of their problems is the rich people, and banding together to go all French Revolution.